ANBU blonds
by Ranita4ever
Summary: a NaruxIno story... duty and heartbreak unites the blonds... a love story ANBU style. rating may change due to cursing and some mentions to adult stuff, probably lemon in later chaps
1. Decision

Disclaimer: Naruto and Co. are not mine... I only wish Kaka-sensei were T.T

A new fic... NaruxIno... hope u like it ^^

remember to Review and leave comments!

Chap 1. Decision.

Smoke and laughter, giggles from drunk girls being flirty with some equally drunk males. A sigh escaped from the blond haired shinobi, lowering his gaze to the cup of sake laying untouched at the table. He really wasn't in the mood to be all bubbly and happy-go-luck like he usuall was. Tonight all he wanted was some peace and be left alone, getting his ass drunk and forget all the images that were flowing in his head.

Those images will hunt him forever, he knew it was going to happen sooner or later, he thought he was prepared to face them, he thought he was going to be strong enough. "Shinobi must not show emotions" says the rule book, but when one wears his heart on the sleeves all is life, not showing what is happening inside, in his heart, it's a feature bordering the impossible.

The blue eye male sighed again and drank all his cup at once. The faster he gets drunk, the faster the images of Sakura ad Sasuke will be erase from his mind, only for tonight that is.

Yes he knew it was inevitable.

Yes he knew it was going to happened.

Yes he knew it will hurt.

Yes he knew his heart will be broken in thousands of pieces.

Yes he knew he should be happy that his friends finally reached happiness.

But he wasn't.

He now in this very moment... hated them.

He wanted nothing to do with them.

He didn't wanted to see, hear, sense, smell anything that was from them.

He wanted to leave.

He wanted to run and keep running far far away from here, and once he got tired... cry his sorrows until no more tears fell from his eyes.

He wanted nothing with them... but, they were a team, first team seven, then team Kakashi, and now... nothing.

Refilling his cup, the blond drank again greedily. He wasn't running away though, maybe not literally, but he was going to leave. Tomorrow he was going to ask his silver haired captain a recommendation letter to join ANBU. It was his only chance to run away from the team... from his family... but especially... from them.

Looking over from his cup around the crowded bar, he saw all his comrades there. Genma was flirting with some girl half his age. Anko was in a corner sucking face with some Chuunin, Kurenai was at a table far from his left with what was left from her team. The blond avoided them now, after the fight with Pein, he REALLY avoided them like the plague... well one in particular, but that was all in the past, years had gone by, but he was still uncomfortable.

He had tried to date her, he tried to like her, to _love_ her. But he couldn't, not when he still had a shot with her pink haired team member. Sakura had said she love him, and he saw right through her lie at the time but he still hoped that it will be true.

After a few drinks one night the blond invited the place eyed girl to his place. But when the emerald girl's name escaped his lips I the heat of passion it all ended... badly.

Next to Kurenai was Shikamaru and Chouji. All the rookie nine were Jounin now, some even ANBU like Kiba and Ino, also Ten-Ten and Neji, but they were getting married this year, so they were going back to being Jounin and maybe get a gennin team to have time to be with each other more.

Things were relatively quiet in Konoha. The war had ended and Uchiha Madara was killed. But now that he was 21, it was reveled to the world that he was Namikaze Minato's, the Yellow Flash and Fourth Hokage's son. Iwa was on his tail trying to kill him, two attempts have been made while he was on missions, but Iwa denied them.

With his final cup finished, he wobbly got up from the bar stool, laid some money on the counter and lazily walk through town. He still live in the same one bedroom hell hole he called home. He didn't want to move to his father's house because it wasn't his, even though the will said other wise, he was just getting used to being a Namikaze and not an Uzumaki anymore, he really loved his father, but that house wasn't his home. The only time he sat foot in it was to retrieve some scrolls he had left for him, some photos of his parents and the white cape his father used. Everything else was still there.

He walk to the training ground Team seven was formed. His gaze traveled lazily all the trees and the lake in the far end, but his deep blue eyes glued themselves to the middle of the three post standing there, where he once was tied to for hours.

"Yeah, some teamwork, leaving me behind all three of them, Hn" he murmured quietly.

He walked as best as he could, in the drunk state he was in, towards the black stone of the KIA monument. He lazily eyed the names carved in there. Namikaze Minato was the first he recognized. A small smile crept to his face. Next was Sarutobi Hiruzen, then Sarutobi Asuma. His heart twisted with the next name in the stone, he longingly trace the letters with his finger tips, a pained look in his eyes.

_Jiraiya_

In this name the blond stopped for a long time, remembering all the adventures, advices, talks, jokes, and all the time he had spend with the white haired pervert.

"I hope I'm making you proud Ero-senin" Naruto said in a small voice.

Then Moegi and Udon from the Konohamaru corps, Aburame Shino, Maito Gai, Sai... all of them killed in the war. The blond bow his head in respect and walk back home.

Little did he know a blond haired, clear baby blue eyed, bird ANBU mask was also there looking from a tree not far from there.

As the blond male walk away, Ino dropped from the tree branch to stand in front of the stone.

"I'm sorry Asuma-sensei... I couldn't keep my promise, but I won't let it get me down, I never really stood a chance against her, but maybe Sasuke wasn't the one for me, maybe, my only one is still there, somewhere waiting for me. And I won't let him keep waiting. I'm going to find him, and live my happily ever after" she traced Asuma's name lovingly with her fingertips

"At lest I won the jutsu part, ne?" Ino smiled a little.

"I miss you sensei, I hoped you could have watch me became a Jounin and ANBU. I know you would be proud!... your son is starting the academy this year, he really is something you know?... lazy ass like you and Shika I say... I guess it runs in the family ne?".

With one final bow, the platinum blond beauty left in swirl of leaves.


	2. The end of an era

_Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto or any of its characters. _

_Sorry I took so long, I find it lame that I took all this time to write such crappy pages, but, it's all I can do since my pc died on me, but now its recovered and I can keep writing this stuff... I'm totally happy with all the reviews this story has, and more than flattered with all the faves and stories alerts I've been getting all week. THANKS!, I never thought so many of you would like this story... remember to review I want to hear what you got to say, even if it's a "Good story" or "Update soon", Or "It's crap, you really should keep you day job" or whatever_

_for everyone who doesn't know team nine is gai's team_

_so this is a little of Ino's story... Enjoy!_

Chap 2: the end of an era.

Training that day was quiet, which was odd to say the least, especially when that team happens to be team Kakashi.

The silver haired jounin didn't say anything, because he knew the reason behind said quietness, he may act aloof and read Icha Icha all day, but he _is_ a shinobi first, hell he taught them how to see "Underneath the underneath" didn't he?.

His dark eye roam from one subordinate to the next until he came to the last one, his sensei son. It wasn't so shocking to see him quiet now, he had matured a little, but it was shocking to see him quiet for such a long period of time. In all morning he'd only said "yes sensei" or "ok sensei". Not even the usual ritual of all mornings "you're late!", he simply stood there waiting for something to do. That was the first clue that something had happened, but the other two had acted normal, so that meant that Naruto now knew that Sasuke and Sakura were together.

With a sigh Kakashi pocketed his precious orange book in his hip pouch. "Ok that's all for today, I'm going to see if there's a mission for us later..." he said until the blond boy in the group interrupted him.

"Um sensei can I talk to you for a second?".

"Sure".

As the other two left the training ground an uncomfortable silence crept between student and teacher.

"Ano... sensei, would you write me a recommendation letter?" Naruto said shifting from one foot to the other.

A silver brow lift in question.

"For ANBU that is".

"Why" was the only response the blond received.

Silence.

"Naruto..." a sigh escaped from the older jounin "ANBU is a serious job, I don't know if you're ready for it, and I want to know why you want to join".

"I know it's a serious job, and I want to protect the village as best as I can, if I want to be Hokage one day. And to protect the village and its citizens, I have to do everything I can, and do every mission that is assigned to me and my team. And I know you think I'm doing this to leave Sasuke and Sakura, and part of it is, but I've thought about joining ANBU for a while now" the blond ran a hand through his hair and sighed.

"It's just that now it's not something I want to do, its something I must do".

"It's that bad, isn't it?".

"Sensei don't get me wrong, I love all three of you to death, I will gladly my life for any of you, but I have to this for me".

"All right kid, I'll do it" the silver haired ninja said ruffling the blonds unruly hair.

"Ahg! stop it sensei, I'm not a kid anymore!".

"Aw, nonsense Naruto-kun, to me you'll always be that little obnoxious and loud kid" Kakashi said in mock hurt.

"I can kick your ass any day" pouted the blue eyed male.

"Whatever helps you sleep at night. Later" said Kakashi before disappearing in a cloud of smoke.

Freedom.

That's what Shikamaru had always wanted, freedom and peace. But as many times in his troublesome life, he once again was denied the pleasure of a lazy afternoon looking at the blue sky and watch the clouds go by without a care in the world. Because once again his mother had nag him go to fetch his equally lazy father. Who as usual didn't want to be found. But being a genius had his perks. All he needed to do was search in two places... The bar or the BQB restaurant. A piece of cake. And then after he dropped his father home he'd had all the afternoon and evening to himself and the clouds.

"What a drag" the pineapple style haired shinobi mumbled under his breath. As he closed the front door of his home, hand in his pockets, cigarette in his mouth and begun the hunt.

After checking in the restaurant. The lazy-ass as his female team member lovingly calls him, if you can call lovely her high pitch tone of voice, continue his search for the man who choose such a troublesome woman as his mother. Couldn't he had picked a less troublesome woman to marry?, like someone more like Hinata who was kind and caring, or that girl from the ramen shop, who was quiet and wasn't bother with anything, "_If she can deal with Naruto daily, she has the patience of a saint"._ But noooo!, the bloody man had to marry the scariest woman he could right?. Was this some kind of punishment for all the times he had slept in Iruka-sensei's classes?. With a sigh he walked to his next destination... the bar.

As he got near the bar, a very familiar pony tailed platinum blond appear in his field of vision he inwardly sighed, he was in no mood for the troublesome woman in front of him. Sure he care for her as a brother would. He'd been an only child and their parents been friends and team mates it was only natural that they spend time together, but as they entered the academy he and Ino had grew distant. Ino was an attention craved girl and sought recognition and admiration in her peers. She was also caring and kind, but this traits in her personality were outmatched by her needs to fit in some group, her preference being all of them. But after her fight with Sakura, the blond girl had turn cold, gone was the kind and cheery friend he once knew, she evolved into the cold, heartless, calculating, annoying, bossy to no end and LOUD pre-teen and later his gennin teammate.

Ino still cared for her friends, few as they were, but she cared and loved them deeply.

It wasn't until Asuma's death that she realize how fragile and short a shinobi's life was. So with this new view of life, Ino threw herself to training and missions, she wanted to be a better medic, so no one died again under her watch. As their sensei had.

But shortly after Asuma's death war started. Their parents, the original Ino-Shika-Cho. Had told them about their experience in the second and third ninja wars. They had read them in class, well Ino had. Shikamaru was probably sleep trough it or simply wasn't in there.

But this war wasn't like the others. All five great elemental nations were united to destroy a single enemy who threaten every living soul in the planet. Uchiha Madara and of course the egomaniac, revenge driven avenger Uchiha Sasuke and the rest of the Akatsuki.

Ino was devastated, she was still in love with the younger Uchiha, the sole survivor of the massacre of the clan, but apparently not the last one.

After many battles and thousands and thousands of injured ninja and many more killed. The enemy was killed and Sasuke retrieved.

With Danzo out of the picture, and the elder Koharu and Homura dead. Sasuke realized that he had nothing left, his revenge was completed, but as a participant of the "Enemy" side, he was to be imprisoned, only a few could visit him, that being namely team 7 and Ibiki.

After the returned of the Uchiha Ino's love for him faded, she realized he was never the boy she thought he was, he didn't have in him the capability to love, to feel, to give himself to. Sasuke was just a shell. Everything about the little boy she knew back in the academy was gone. All that was left was a killing machine, the perfect shinobi with no emotions. Hell even Sai had more personality than Sasuke.

Shortly after the blue eyed teen was promoted to Jounin, and then all hell broke. She began to party every night, drinking herself to oblivion and of course a different guy. Some lasted a week, some didn't even make it trough the night. After a long conversation, she calmed down a bit, and only went out on weekends. Then she joined ANBU. Shikamaru guessed it was to scape from them, and to run away from her problems concentrating in work, but mostly to scape from the feeling of loneliness she must have felt after the war ended. So many lives were lost, Shikamaru knew what death Ino suffered the most.

Sai was a good friend and the perfect replacement for Sasuke in team seven and in Ino's life. They didn't went out together often, but they had fun. Glimpses of the old, innocent and childish Ino would surface around him. He was good to her, it was like her new "Sakura" proyect, and it had the same outcome as the first... only this time Sai wasn't coming back to apologize.

Sai's death in the last month of the war were difficult in everyone in the rookie nine, they'd already lost Shino, and team nine had lost their sensei also. Lee was a wreck for weeks, even Ten-Ten and the stoic Neji missed the green spandex, youth shouting, blinding smiling, river crying, freak of a sensei. But death was a part if shinobi's life, in the ninja world is "kill or be killed" no other way around it.

With a roll of his eyes the raven pineapple haired genius approach the blond knockout.

"Hey Ino"

"Hey Shika, here to pick up the old man?"

"Troublesome, the woman that calls herself my mother told... no order me to. So are you, I'm guessing?" she giggled.

"Yeah, he promised some romantic dinner or something" she shrouded.

Shikamaru raised an eyebrow. She just shook her head and opened the front door.

A thick fog of smoke clouded all the people inside. After a few minutes of looking around they located their parents heads in a dark corner. Obviously trying to remain unseen, to bad for them their wives had send them to retrieved them, they seem to be having fun.

As they walked trough the tables. Shikamaru noted the way many of the males eyes glued to Ino. She didn't seem to notice or cared, she was obviously dressed to do just that. Her low cut skirt accentuated the curves in the far end of her body, her long creamy legs displayed for everyone to see and admire. Her purple top only cover enough, leaving her fine toned stomach and her pierced belly button. She only wear it when not in mission. Her ANBU tattoo only made her see more sexy and dangerous, as some of the males commented. She exuded sex appeal with each step she took, her hips sway from side to side. She knew she was hot, and was not afraid to show it to who ever wanted to see it AKA all the male population.

"Hey daddy!"

"Hey sweety, whats up?"

"Mom's looking for you, she something about dinner or something" Ino said as she sat down.

"Shit, I totally forgot, sorry man gotta go!" Inoichi grabbed his dark coat and all but ran home.

Ino smiled and grabbed a cup and served herself a drink.

"Dad, the troublesome woman made come and fetch you".

"Troublesome" said Shikaku, the older male drowned his drink, grabbed his furred coat and left with a lazy wave.

Dark eyes narrowed to blue ones. Ino just lifted and eyebrow as if daring him to say something.

"What a drag"

"Do you know who is going to replace Neji in your squad?".

"No".

"Do you think is going to be one of our friends?"

"I don't think any other of our group is ANBU, at least the last time I saw them anyway".

"Yeah, ANBU's too troublesome anyway".

She nodded. Her eyes traveled the dark room as she took another sip of her drink. Shikamaru followed her gaze until it fell on a unruly mop of blond hair, a sigh escaped the male's lips. Naruto was really a mess, if he didn't know why, he probably would have gone and sat next to him and tried to cheer him up, but as he knew it would be a wasted effort he just kept watching him from afar. He was broken, and none of the things he said or did would change that, the blond would put his happy-go-luck face and leave the place.

"Is that Naruto?"

"Yeah".

"I didn't know he drink, and way too much for what I can see".

"He received some bad news".

She lifted and eyebrow.

"Sasuke and Sakura are together".

"Oh".

Silence made it's way to the table as each of them mulled over their thoughts.

"He's still not over her, huh" she said it more as a statement than a question.

"It appears so".

"Too bad, Hinata might have made him happy".

"They tried, but it didn't work out. He still hoped Sakura would come around".

"Poor Hina-chan, she must have been devastated".

"Yeah, but she's in love now, or that's what Neji said. It's some Hyuuga, I think his name was Ryu or Roy or something like that".

"Then I'm happy for her, Naruto had too much drama in his life. No need to drag Hinata into his mess".

Both friends glance towards the drunken blond in the far end of the bar.

"Troublesome".


	3. Of drinks and stealth

**OK here's a new chapter yay!...**

**so after the depressing two last chapters, is some attempt to light up the mood. hope you like it...**

**at last some NaruxIno action yay!**

**remember to REVIEW!**

**I sadly don't own Naruto... **

**ps: 499 EPIC CHAP... OMG I can't wait for the next one... this two weeks will be hell xD

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"Do you come here often?".

A blonde male lifted his gaze to meet with a face he recognized all to well. Yamanaka Ino had once been an annoying fan-girl, but when he returned from his two and a half training trip with Jiraiya, he'd notice a change in her. Yamanaka Ino had smiled and waved at him!. That had never happened. Another surprising change had happened right after his sensei's death. And after he had helped in defeating one of the Akatsuki member who had attacked Asuma, he saw the look in her eyes of awe, admiration and the most surprising of all... respect.

When the pervert died, he was lost again. He had shut himself in his memories of the time he had spend with him. He haven't even left his apartment until it became too much, he walked aimlessly trough town until he sat in a bench with an ice cream an Iruka had talked to him. He had felt a presence trailing after that encounter, but the person never showed and he was glad for that, because at least he knew that someone cared for him, he knew the chackra signature too, and he almost smiled at that. Ino was silently supporting him, letting him know he wasn't alone, and he was grateful for that.

His relationship with her was a estrange one and he didn't know how to label it. Sometimes she was a friend with whom he could play pranks with, or talk to when he felt lonely, she would listen to all he had to vent, and let him know she was there for him. He never could do that with Sakura, cause she didn't know what it was like to lose someone, lest of all her teacher. Other times they acted like strangers not even acknowledging each other in public.

When Sai died he had done exactly the same thing she had done with him. He had silently let her know he was there for her if she ever needed to talk or a shoulder to cry on. It pained him to see her destruct herself night after night, letting male after male walked with her to their homes, just to be able to feel again, just to feel human again.

"Not as much as I liked to" he said lifting a beer bottle to his lips.

"So, what happened to you?, you were never much of a drinker, you always said it was bad for your health and stuff..."she said as she sat in a stool next to him.

"I just wanted to celebrate and forget at the same time" he said absently rubbing his thumb on the cool side of the bottle, letting little drops of melted ice run down to the table.

"And what are you celebrating?" she raised an eyebrow questioningly.

"A change in life you could say".

"like..." she curiously asked trying to meet his dulled blue eyes.

"I'm going to join ANBU" he said meeting her gaze.

"So you're running away" she said knowingly.

He frowned "No... it was something I've been thinking about it a lot lately, it just so happens that now I just don't only want to, but need to".

"Well with you're impressive record at missions and battles you're probably going to do alright in the test so, who's doing your recommendation letter? Cause I can do it if you want to".

"Nah that's ok, I already ask Kakashi-sensei to do it".

"Wow you're really putting a lot of effort, getting the legendary ANBU captain to sponsor you and all, you're probably not even going to get to do the test and right out get the rank" she grin to him.

"You think so?" he said rubbing his blond unruly hair.

"Of course silly, Kakashi was your jounin sensei in your gennin team, you also trained under a sannin for almost three years, and when you were an academy student you out run jounins and chunnins with your pranks" the blond haired girl wave dismissively at him.

"Ha ha, yeah your right" he grinned at her.

"So, I guess a celebration is in order right?, Hey Miro give us another round" she said to the bar tender.

As the beer bottles were opened and placed in front of both blonds, they grabbed them and lift them in the air.

"Congratulations Naru-chan, I hope you get in and kick ass!" Ino raised her bottle and took a large drink.

Naruto did the same and smiled at his blond companion "thanks Ino".

* * *

Sakura was on cloud nine, never would she had thought this day would come.

Sasuke had asked her out and now they were dating, at first he had been cold and empty, never even showing the faintest emotion on his face and even in his eyes. Those black endless pits were so avoided of life it always managed to scare the crap out of her, but at the end, and after some serious talks he had begun to opened up to her and Naruto. It had been a long process but in the end Sasuke was slowly coming back to his old, a little more, friendly self.

Kakashi had just remind his usual aloof self, not really caring about what happened to the Uchiha, In his mind once a traitor, always a traitor. To him Sasuke was not only a traitor and a deserter of the village, but also scum, and the lowest in the scale of scum, if that even existed. Because he had not only left the village, he had left his comrades and team mates, and almost killed them, in one or another occasion too. And that in his book was the lowest one would get. But still he had helped in all the retrieving missions when he could. Sasuke was one of his students after all.

But when Sasuke got out of jail, Naruto begun to dragged himself from their group, leaving only Sakura to help reacquainting the last Uchiha to his old life in Konoha.

Sakura had felt lost and torn.

On one side she had Sasuke back, it was all she had ever wanted for as long as she knew, her Sasuke-kun was back and wasn't going to leave again, their team was back together as it was in their old gennin days as team seven.

But on the other side, she had started to develop some feelings towards the blond member of the team. Naruto was her strength, his determination to keep the promise he had made to her at the gates of the village when Sasuke had left had drive them to keep seeking him and get stronger to go and try to convince him to come back. They had gone through so much together that at the end it had united them in ways that she had ever imagine. Naruto was the total opposite of Sasuke, he was warm and she felt like nothing could ever happened to her as long as she was by his side.

She had said to him that she loved him. But he hadn't believed her. Sakura always wondered why. But now she knew and couldn't help but feel bad about it. As long as Sasuke was there and she had to choose between them, she would always pick Sasuke over Naruto, and he knew that. That's why he had said that she was lying to herself. She did love him, but not in the way Naruto deserved, he deserved someone who wouldn't hesitate, who wouldn't change her mind, and left him alone, someone who thought of him as a first choice, not as second best. She always wondered why it never work out between him and Hinata, and she never ask ether, it wasn't her place to anyway.

It was a beautiful evening to walk around town, the sun was setting in the horizon and some orange and pink with a little purple fluffy clouds were in the sky, it was a relaxing and peaceful day, she didn't had to work at the hospital, and didn't had a mission, she thought that maybe Kakashi had forgot to asked Tsunade for one, and that was fine with her, she now had time to think and enjoy a peaceful evening and do nothing at all, perhaps she could go and track down Ino-pig and go get some drinks and gossip all night about their shy friend and her new boyfriend. Yeah that would be fun, she hadn't talked to Ino in a while.

As she walked towards her friends apartment she saw a pair of blonds heading that same way, both walking on very shaky legs, swinging from side to side, laughing and singing some very off key song. She couldn't help but snicker at that, Ino was always drinking, and always left the bar with some guy whenever she was drunk enough, oh how she would tease her about it every time she could.

She continued to walked behind Ino and her blond companion, some how he seemed familiar to her, but she couldn't tell who it was, he had blond short spiked hair, a black shirt with the red swirl all leaf shinobi wore in the back, standard black shinobi pants with white wrapping bandages on his shins and black shinobi sandals. But what shocked her was that he had a orange and black jacket that he had hung on one of his shoulders while his other arm was wrap securely on her blond friend shoulders. Her own arm wrap in his waist as they swung left and right with each step they took.

Sakura's jaw dropped to the floor, she KNEW that jacket!, she had seen it every few days for years... the guy who was with Ino was non other that her own blond blue eyed knucklehead of a team mate.

Then a thought struck our lovely pink haired medic like a ton of brinks, and it almost knock the wind out of her lungs as she all but gasped at the sight in front of her.

Ino and Naruto were drunk. And they were walking towards Ino's apartment, which only meant...

OH MY GOD.

Ino was sleeping with Naruto!.

The idea almost seen foreign to her pretty little mind... if she had being told that she would witness this, she would have all but laugh at who ever came up with this idea.

The mere thought of Ino and Naruto together was laughable, they were completely WRONG for each other, they were both loud and stubborn, their personalities would all but clash!, this was so wrong on so many levels that if it ever happened it would be like a sign of the apocalypses or something.

Maybe she was just imagining things and they were just friends. Yeah that was it, she was just freaking out over nothing, right?.

And besides, it was none of her business with whom Ino slept with, she could sleep with half of Konoha for all she cared. As long as it wasn't Sasuke all was good and well, right?.

So why, oh WHY for kami's sake was she still following them for?.

Curiosity she told herself, she was stealthily following her two friends because she was curious about what they were doing. Besides if something, kami forgive it, happened, she would have the perfect blackmail and teasing material of her LIFE. Yeah that was it, oh Ino was going to pay for teasing her all those years ago. Yeah revenge felt great.

* * *

"Ha ha, I had such a great time Ino-chan, I haven't laugh that long in like... forever!, believe it!".

"Yeah, me too... the face on that lady was priceless Ha ha!".

Both drunk blonds climb the stares towards the female's home, the apartment was on the top floor, and had a small balcony from where you could see the faces of the Hokage's carved on the mountain.

It was a nice apartment, it was cozy and had two bedrooms, one of them was used exclusively as a walk in closet. The living-room was connected to the kitchen and it was only separated by an island and bar stools as chairs. The decor theme this year was black and white.

"Do you wanna come in?" the greenish-blue eyed female said as she fumbled trying to find her key.

"Nah, S'okay, I don't think I can sleep in your couch anyway, last time my back hurt for like a week. Sorry Ino, but your not getting your Naru-chan fun in the middle of the night" he said grinning drunkenly while trying to remind on his feet without moving.

"Aw but Naru-kun don't be so mean, you know I love my Naru-chan fun!" she whined and pouted like a little child.

"Yeah I know, but I hate to wake up all sticky and messed up".

"I'll make you breakfast in the morning, come on, don't be such a baby about it, it's fun, and I know you like it too" she smiled smugly at him, and poke him in the ribs.

"You assumed too much, and as tempting as that breakfast sounds, I'll just to pass this time" he ran a hand through his hair.

Ino lifted his arms and wrapped them around his neck, letting her head get close to his until her lips were right next his ear and whispered sensually "Are you sure?".

Naruto, who sober would have stiffened by the sudden proximity of their bodies, and her hot breath tickling his neck and ear would have made him blush beet red. Responded equally to her teasing tone and actions by wrapping his arms around her slim waist, brought her petite little body closer to his own and whispered in a husky and sexy low tone "Do you want me to come in?".

Ino smiled slyly as she moved her head and now stood a few inched away from his, her eyes trailed all his features, his blond spike hair, his ocean blue eyes, his scared cheeks and his thin but very kissable lips. His breath mingled with hers as they locked blurry drunken eyes with each other.

"It's your loss" she shrugged and turned around to open the front door.

"I can live with that" he said laughing.

"Bye Naruto" Ino smiled at him as she closed the door.

"Night Ino" he said as he walked away and gave her a lazy wave.

Nether of the blonds realized a very shocked pink haired girl had seen all the scene play before her eyes and couldn't believe what she had seen.

Oh she couldn't wait to tease Ino the next time she saw her... This was priceless.

And what was with the "Naru-chan fun" anyway?. Sakura vow she would found out what it was and make it a "Sasuke-kun fun!" SHANNARO!.

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REMEMBER TO REVIEW!


	4. Alone and news

_sorry for the wait... I dont own Naruto Im only betting my money on Shikamaru or maybe Kakashi, but the prize is too high in ether of them so maybe I'll get Genma or one of the guys that guard the gate, hmm but they can do henge right? so no prob then... (with a dark tone) soon Naruto you'll be mine kukuku_

* * *

**Chap 4: Alone and news…**

Life was so unfair.. Why did it had to create this stupid thing. Hangovers … urg. Why? kami, why?.

Yamanaka Ino was having her worse morning since… well yesterday. But today the world was clearly against her, the birds were chirping louder than yesterday, a clear sign that spring was coming. Kami how she hated spring, it reminded her of all the couples and the love that started to bloom in every person she meet, it was EVERYWHERE. Couples walking in the park, going on dates, holding hands, those irritable loving gazes at each other. Urg, she felt sick.

Of course it wasn't always like that, when she was little, spring was her favorite season of the year, flowers were blooming, and her house always smelled nice, and she could stay outside longer, the weather was wormer, and she could were nicer clothes, she would go shopping for the latest trends in fashion and make up, even if she never wore too much anyway, she always preferred her natural beauty, but it was always nice accentuating it.

The blond glance at the clock in her nightstand.

9:25.

Good, she still had half an hour to be lazy. Another thing Ino hated was mornings, she hated the fact that every time she opened her eyes, she found herself cold and alone. Sure she had some stuffed animals to keep her company through the night, but they never stayed all night in her bed, just like the men she brought home in occasions.

With a lazy yawn and a rub through her blond hair, she stretched her muscles and slowly, very slowly got out of bed. Loving the way her fluffy carpet felt under her bared feet. A few more armed stretches and she was good to go for a hot shower. At least with the warm water she could wash away the cold of the night, but never the feeling of being alone.

As the hot water spayed her body, like a lover caress, she though of the boy… no, man that accompanied her last night at the bar. She really liked talking to Naruto. He always made her laugh and had a good time. He had matured ever since he came back from his trip, it was like he was someone new, she had always dismissed him for the obnoxious boy he had always been back in the academy. Even tough he was still his pranker old self, there was something hidden in his eyes. A pain nobody else saw, until Jiraiya death.

That night she had been walking from a dinner with Sakura towards her house when she saw him. he was sitting in a bench with an ice cream looking lost in memories with tears running down in his scarred cheeks, It was such a depressing sight, she vaguely remembered herself in the same state a couple of weeks ago. But that sight didn't seem right in the blond whiskered male sitting there, she was about to go talk to him, when Iruka-sensei appear and sat besides the blond boy. Ino felt like an intruder for listening to their conversation, but she really wanted to know what had happened to him, so maybe she could help him in some way. he was, after all, a friend. Naruto had help her team in defeating and avenging their fallen sensei, and if she could help him feel better she would do it without hesitation, he deserved that and much more.

When Naruto started to talk, his voice was so sad that it brought tears into her eyes, now she knew the reason for this pain she was witnessing and she could relate all to well with the emotions flowing inside the blue eyed blond, it broke her heart seen him like that. He had been there for her when Shika, Chouji and her had been back in the village after Asuma's death, she had known at that time how he had silently support her in her sorrow, and she vowed she would do the same for him knowing that Jiraiya had passed away. So when teacher and student parted their ways, she had trailed after the blond, letting him know she was there for him, just as he had done for her.

Ino walked out of the shower and put on some clothes, she had a boring day ahead of her. She had promised her parents to run the shop for the day.

"_Great_" she thought dryly, "_a long day inside the shop with a killer hangover, just great."_

_

* * *

_An emerald eye opened to take in their surroundings, white walls and a blue cover that was wrap tightly to her naked body. A smiled played on her pink kissed swollen lips.

Last night after trailing the drunk blonds she had come to her lovers home seeking some warm and mind blowing sex. Yes, Sasuke knew how to make her scream his name, and she loved how he said hers. She had dream so many night about this, that now that she had it, she still felt like she was dreaming. She sometimes pinch herself to realize that it wasn't a dream and that it was real.

Sakura lazily search under the cover for the warm body on the other side, but found that it was gone. A sigh escaped her lips. Every time it was the same. Every time she woke up in his bed he was gone. It frustrated her to no end. But she never confronted him on the subject, and only because she knew that If she did he would call her annoying just like old times. It had became a ritual to her, she would woke up, open one eye, search the bed and sigh.

Slowly she began the search for her clothes and looked at the clock.

9:54.

Damn she was late. Kakashi had said 8, so that meant 10, she only had 6 minutes to get there. And she needed a shower, badly.

Sakura run towards the bathroom and turned on the hot water. _"SHIT"_ Sasuke had used ALL the hot water, damned that man, she yelp as the cold water run down her body, she began to shiver and she bathe as fast as she could. Why hadn't Sasuke wake her anyway? He knew she was a late sleeper, and more if she was in his house. Sakura fumed and cursed as she put her clothes on after her shower, she looked again at the nightstand.

10:05

"Damn I'm late. I hope the lazy perv hadn't arrived yet" she whispered to herself and jumped through the window to the roof in the building across from Sasuke's and did the handsigns to perform the shunshin no jutsu because Sasuke didn't like leaves inside his home and made her clean it up afterwards the first time she had used it inside his home when the hospital had an emergency and needed her help.

With a pop and a cloud of smoke she was standing in the old bridge were team seven , now known as team Kakashi meet for training. She took in the familiar surroundings and noted that one person was missing and this time it didn't own a mop of silver hair that defies gravity.

"Where's Naruto?" she asked with a pink eyebrow raised questioningly.

"First of all, you're late, and secondly, Naruto isn't coming today" reply said owner of said mop of silver hair.

"Is he sick?" she said in a worried tone.

"No".

"Had a mission?".

"No".

"Is on a meeting?".

"Nope".

"Helping a kitty trapped in a tree?".

"Not that I know of".

"Lost in the path of the road of life?" she asked teasingly only to receive a glare in return.

"Are you making fun of your poor old sensei?" Kakashi asked raising a silver eyebrow.

"Maybe" she said sweetly and in a sing song voice "but seriously, where's Naruto?".

"Hell if I know, I'm not his mother you know, maybe you should ask him, but your probably not going to like the answer." the older man said seriously.

Both Sasuke and sakura perked up at his answer.

"What do you mean?" asked Sasuke this time.

A sigh escaped the masked man in front of them. " I'm no the one who is supposed to say this, because is none of my business really."

"What do you mean is none of your business? You're our sensei and our team captain, its supposed to be your business what happens to your subordinates, especially if they don't come to team practice." Sakura all but yelled at Kakashi.

"What I meant was that I _do_ know why Naruto isn't coming, but what I don't know is, why do _you_ care if he's not coming?".

"Because _he_ is _our_ teammate, and if something happened to him, _we _have a right to know!" Sakura said and Sasuke nodded his head saying that he thought the same.

A sigh escaped again at the silver haired elite shinobi as he run a hand in his masked cheek in a clear sign of annoyance at his two remaining subordinates and students. "Naruto's not coming because he's no longer a part of the team".

Silence fell upon the three of them, two of them digesting the news of the teammate who was, as of now, no longer a part of the team, and the remaining one with the first signs of a headache.

"WHAT?" yelled the pink haired girl.

"Naruto is out of the team, gone, finished, done, moved on, departed, finito, the end. Got it now Sakura?, or do I have to continue?".

"But why would he leave? Why would he quit the team?".

"As I told you before, you should ask him, but I seriously doubt that you would like the answer".

Both younger shinobi fell quiet, and nether said a word, both deep in thought.

After a few minutes of silence Kakashi broke the ice "Well since we are one member short we are going to cancel practice today, and by tomorrow I'll found a replacement for Naruto for us to go on missions, ok? So... tomorrow we met at six same place. Later" and with his patented eye cringe Kakashi vanished in a poof of smoke, leaving behind one dumbstruck jonin and a stoic and expressionless genin.

"Why do think he left Sasuke-kun?".

Silence.

"Sasuke-kun?" she asked again only to turn to where he had been standing to find a cloud of smoke vanishing with the help of the wind.

And with a sigh, she begun to walk back to her house and have some breakfast and definitely change clothes…and later go find her blond tea… ex-teammate or maybe find Ino and tease her for last night, maybe that would lift her mood, because right now she felt like crap.

* * *

_A/N: Thank you all for the reviews I got for last chap. And thanks to all of you who had fav-ed or are following this story I'm VERY happy and you rock!_

_I'm sooooooooooooooooo Sorry for taking so long with the update of this chapter, and because is so short, but I didn't know exactly how to go with the "Sasuke and Sakura relationship", err anyway, i hope next chap is up next Friday or something like that, don't get your hopes up I'll probably had it finished in the weekend for sure ^^_

_So REVIEW! and thanks!  
_


	5. Half way gone

**CHAP 5 HALF WAY GONE.**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto.**

.

..

…

_You were always hard to hold_

_So letting go ain't easy_

_I'm hanging on, you're growing cold_

_While my mind is leaving_

_Talk, talk is cheap_

_Give the word you can keep_

_Cause I'm half way gone and I'm on my way_

_And I'm feeling, feeling, feeling this way_

_Cause you're half way in, but don't take too long_

_Cause I'm half way gone, half way gone_

…

_.._

_._

Today seemed like any other day to one Namikaze Naruto, the same headache in the morning, a couple of aspirins drowned with 2 whole bottles of water, now body replenish with liquids the blond toke a warm shower and left his apartment for a much needed "hangover ramen special" at Ichiraku's . but fate was cruel with this particular blond. Maybe it was karma for all his pranks when he was little, but every prank has its propose of revenge on an injustice aimed ether at himself or someone else, maybe karma just had a different sense of humor than his.

There, in the proximity of his temple, the place where the blue eyed shinobi religiously thank the gods of ramen for bringing such a gift into his miserable life, he saw… _her_.

Her pink hair flowing with the gentle breeze, her emerald eyes scanning the streets in every possible angle, but what was she looking for in this place anyway? Sakura never liked ramen as much as Naruto did, and he could live with that as long as she ate one bowl when they dinned or had lunch at the little stand. But she never came here on her own free will, Naruto had _always_ had to drag and whine to her to accompany him and always as long Sasuke or Kakashi-sensei or their other friends from the rookie nine and team Gai were with them, other wise it could have been seen as a date, and she had made it pretty clear that she didn't want him as a boyfriend, if all the beatings and yelling had prove her point throughout the years they had known each other and had been a team. So the question still remained … what was she doing here?.

With a mental sigh Naruto walk away from his favorite restaurant and left in the opposite direction towards the training grounds, his special ramen would have to wait, because he couldn't deal with her right now, the wounds in his heart were still too fresh. His heart too broken, his mind still a turmoil, and even though she dissevered every word he had to say to her, he didn't want to take his anger out at her, he still loved her after all. Stupid heart of his that didn't understand what his mind tried to say to him after all this time.

Green eyes scanned the roads trying to spot a mop of bright yellow hair, left, right, up and down the roads, she was starting to give up until she spotted him.

"Narutooo!" she yelled.

Naruto inwardly flinch, oh shit, she had seen him, this was just great, the gods really must hate him. He curse them as he looked briefly to the sky. He felt her approach him, he felt her chakra signature getting closer and as he turned to greet her he put on his biggest and brightest smile. God he felt fake.

* * *

It had been a slow day in the flower shop, it was boring as always, her only fun had been tease a little boy who wanted to buy to his crush a flower to show her how he felt about her. It had been so cute that Ino couldn't resist to not tease the little boy.

If a boy had bought her flowers when she was little she would have melted in the spot and blush a shade of red that would have put Hinata to shame. To bad that nobody had ever done that for her. Not even now or as a teenager had Ino received a bouquet of roses or any other kind of flower. Sai had always gave her a drawing instead. And Sasuke… better not to think of that scum she thought.

Ino longed for a man to sweep her of her feet, a man who was romantic and did all the silly things boys do when they like a girl. She wanted her prince charming or her knight in shinning armor to rescue her from her loneliness. But that man had yet to come. Still, she kept her hopes up. She knew the man of her life was out there, she just haven't found him yet.

As she looked outside she noticed a familiar whiskered blond boy…no, man. She was about to call his name when he froze in his step and looked ahead, a look of utter pain and sorrow showed for only second in his eyes and face, well what was visible from her spot inside the shop anyways but she as a trained shinobi and as an interrogator and Anbu member, noticed it. He turned and walked away in the same direction he came until a loud yell stopped him in his tracks.

OH SHIT, she knew that voice!.

"Oh Naruto I'm so sorry" she whispered as she saw her pink haired friend turned ex-friend/rival, turned friend again. Run towards the blond tall man frozen in his steps.

He slowly turned around and smiled at her. And Ino's heart broke at the scene playing in front of her.

Ino slowly made her way with a can of water towards the front of the store. She wasn't a gossiper anymore, but she needed to know what happened next so she could help Naruto once this whole thing was over. He was a friend, and she didn't turn her back on a friend or a comrade, and if she was of any help, she would be there for him. Just as he was there for her when she had needed someone to talk or joke or cry or anything.

With her mind made up she prepared herself for the hell that would come.

* * *

"Hey Sakura-chan" he said as he stretched his smile as much as he could and closed his eyes as to not have to see her face, her beautiful eyes that made him want to lose himself in them and not let her see the hurt and pain in his own blue eyes.

"Hey I was looking for you all morning! Where were you? Why did you quit the team? What the hell happened?" she narrowed her eyes at the blond in front of her as she crossed her arms in front of her chest.

"Huh?" he tried to play dumb just as he always did.

Her eyes narrowed even more at his answer. "I said where were you this morning?".

"Uh… home?" he said hesitatingly as he scratch the back of his head.

"Home? But we had practice today remember?, and Kakashi-sensei said that you quit the team, what the hell is that all about?" she was letting her temper rise at his evasive answer and she knew he was playing dumb, but why, she didn't know.

"Err, the… truth?" he _REALLY_ didn't want to talk about this now, why didn't she just leave him alone for once.

"WHAT? WHY? WHEN? WHY? WHAT THE HELL IS GOING ON? WE JUST GOT SASUKE-KUN BACK, JUST AS WE WANTED IT DIDN'T WE?, SO WHY DID YOU JUST LEAVE US LIKE THAT?" she yelled at him. She felt lost, totally and completely lost. Was he kidding her? Because if he was, she didn't find it funny, _Not. At. All._

"Sakura…" he said with a sigh "I cant keep lying and be all cheery and shit now, I need a change and I need to be alone so I can think and try to forget you, and I cant do this if I see you all bubbly and fan girl with Sasuke every fucking day of the week, it hurts too much" he said with a low and cold voice.

"Naruto I.." she started to come closer to him.

"Don't." he halted her move with his hand " I don't need your pity, you got what you always wanted right? You have Sasuke now, so now let me be Sakura. I need to do this for me".

"But… what about the team? What about team seven? We're finally together again" she looked hard to his face, to his eyes, trying to figure out what was wrong but she couldn't see anything. He was expressionless, and it was freaking her out.

"Team? What team Sakura?" he laugh bitterly "Sasuke never thought of us as his teammates, hell we weren't even worthy of his time remember?, he left us, if it weren't because we had to drag his sorry ass back here, he would still be out there… and also if my memory doesn't fail me… he tried to kill me Sakura, remember? Not once, but many times, do you honestly think I can forget that?".

"But he change!, he's not the same as he was when we were genin," she yelled in Sasuke's defense.

"That may be true, but it doesn't change the fact that he tried to. I cant trust him right now. And if I cant trust my teammate then when we go out on missions someone could get killed because of it, and I don't want to risk any of you, you're too important to me".

Silence fell between them. As Sakura thought about all the things Naruto had said to her and finally asked "so you're transferring to another team then?".

"You could say that".

"What the fuck does that mean?".

"I'm waiting for my acceptance to join Anbu".

Sakura was speechless. ANBU? Was he crazy? didn't he knew of the dangers that being an Anbu member meant?. Why did he had to leave?... leave her? she couldn't comprehend it... Naruto... her Naruto gone, to Anbu, that wasn't right, that couldn't be right, she had to stop him some how, she had to made him see reason... he couldn't, just couldn't.

"No, you cant! It's too dangerous!" she screamed, worry written all over her face.

"Huh, that's just rich Sakura" he laughed again, "you cant tell me what to do, I'm a grown man if you haven't noticed, and last time I check you aren't my mother or anything besides a friend. So you can yell all you want but my decision is already maid, there's nothing you can do about it".

"But I.." she was about to say that they were more than just friends, they were family. Team seven was like a family to all of them.

"I'm sorry Sakura but I have to go now… so tell Kakashi I said hi" then he disappeared in a cloud of smoke.

The pink haired girl was left in the middle of the street feeling like shit again. She should have known that today would suck since this morning, maybe she should have stayed in bed all day, even if said bed had been empty and cold. Well she couldn't dwell in this matter now, she needed to go to the hospital for her shift, and later in the evening she would go to over to Sasuke's and try to forget all that's happened today. She would embrace his warm and rejoice herself in his caress and his love, yeah that sounded like a plan to look forward to. Her mind made up, she walked in the hospital's direction to do her duty as a medic for the well being of the people that lived in Konoha.

* * *

Ino was utterly shocked. She never thought that Naruto could handle Sakura so well, maybe she had been worrying over nothing and he didn't really needed any help.

Oh how wrong she was.

With that thought she went back to her spot behind the counter and sat in her chair, she pulled out a magazine to try and kill time. Until she could close the shop and then home. But she didn't want to be alone today, maybe she could find Naruto and they could hang out or something right?.

* * *

Naruto appear on the head of the fourth Hokage, he sat down and took a scroll from his pouch, he did some hand-signs and above the scroll that was laid on the ground was a cloud of smoke and from it Naruto grabbed a bottle with a shaky hand and drowned half of the content in one swing.

That talk with Sakura had taken a lot of control for him. How he hadn't snapped at her was a mystery to him.

Why was always so difficult to let her go, why couldn't he just let her go. She wasn't his, she never was. At least now, he was taking the right path. he needed to get away, and with the aplication sent, he was half way there.

_Half way gone..._

As the blond looked over the horizon and the village that laid below, he drunk himself to oblivion.

* * *

**A/N: I'm sorry this is a little late that what I said I would update, and cause this chap is so short, but I totally forgot that I had test in college this week, and next, and next too… so don't expect too much of me or any other update until next weekend or the week after that.**

**Anyway I hope I did this chapter some justice and it met your expectations… if not, well too bad for you, write your own story!.**

**So REVIEW!… I really want to know if I'm doing this right, or if there are some mistakes or were should I improve or put more attention and stuff…and If you have the time to fave or put it in your story alert you can write a few words right? It's not too much to ask… you can fave and alert this in the review window too you know?.**


	6. An afternoon on Yondaime

**Chapter 6: An Afternoon On Yondaime**

* * *

**Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto or Foo Fighters for that matter, but I will own a ticket for their concert soon… believe it!

* * *

**

Yondaime= Fourth

Godaime= Fifth

Bunta= short for Gamabunta, boss toad. You know the one with the pipe thingy. If you don't know, then …what are you here for?

* * *

**_._**

**_.._**

**…**

**_Lately,_**

**_I've been_**

**_Livin' in my head_**

**_The rest of me is dead,_**

**_I'm dying for truth_**

**_make me, _**

**_believe_**

**…**

**_.._**

_**.**

* * *

_

"You know… You always used to tell me to lay off the sake, and look at you now" a sweet voice said from behind.

"Baa-chan, I feel like shit right now, I had a run down with Sakura and I'm positive that I don't need you're wise advice on how to live my life, so… Care to join me?" said the blond sitting down on the top of the head of the Yondaime Hokage.

"have enough?" said the older blond and Godaime Hokage not hiding the mirth in her voice, as she sat down next to the black clad shinobi.

"Sure, always carry enough to put Bunta in a coma" grinned Naruto.

After a couple of minutes in silence, and a few bottles of sake later, both blonds marveled themselves with the share beauty that the view of the village made, the sky was slowly turning a shade of pinks and purples, the clouds in the sky, in their own cotton candy kind of way, made the picture all the more breath taking. It were times like this were both Hokage and Hokage to be, vowed to the heavens that they would protect and preserved this village until their last breath, if not for them and their families, but also for the families that would come to be later on.

"So, anything new brat?".

"yeah, I supposed you heard about team seven right?".

"yeah, I got your application from the Anbu commander, he's really pleased with you're decision, he's been eyeing you since the war, but I knew that you didn't want to leave you're team, so… why the sudden change? You're all together now, with Sasuke being out of prison and put back on the field and all that shit, I thought that was what you wanted, the original team seven back and going" Tsunade said while swinging down another bottle.

"that _was_ what I wanted, I wanted my team back together, I wanted to see Sakura smile like she used to, I wanted Sasuke, my friend back, but I never got that, Sasuke is more of jerk than he used to be, Sakura never smiles unless is forced to, and Kakashi doesn't want to deal with it. And it hurts… it hurts cause they're the only kind of, maybe, in its own twisted way, the only family I ever got. Kakashi was like the cool older brother who you look up to. Sasuke was like the brother I never had, he was the one who pushed me to be better, and Sakura…" he trailed off and looked back to the sky as he swallowed half a bottle in one gulp.

Tsunade said nothing at that, she knew what her pink haired apprentice was to the brat. Sakura was the woman who Naruto saw as a wife, as the mother of his children, the girl he wanted to hold and love until he could no more. The same girl who broke his heart little by little, the last straw being choosing the _Uchiha_ over him.

Oh yes, Tsunade hated the Uchiha brat with all her soul, if it weren't because of the council and Naruto, she would have had him executed on the spot as that traitor set foot on the village. But she would let fate run it's course, and she would sit and watch the show from afar, as the Uchiha once again let the village down, she knew for a fact, once a traitor always a traitor. With that in mind, she would wash her hands and look everyone in the eye and with a smile on her face she would say to all of them "I told you so". It will only hurt to say it to Naruto, but she had a hunch that the blond bijuu container was slowly seeing the real Sasuke now. The bastard that all he ever did was take and never give something back.

"So gaki… are you ready for what's to come? Anbu exams aren't easy you know?" a smug look on her face.

"Yeah, but if Kiba could do it, then I sure as hell can do it too, believe it!" a smile breaking on his handsome face

" I suppose you're right" Tsunade chuckled at his antics, deep down she knew, he was still the same baka that made her believe again.

"Sure baa-chan, piece of cake!".

* * *

"Hey pumpkin, what's with the face? Slow day?" said an older brunette version of Ino.

"Yeah mom, but there was this cute little boy earlier who wanted to give a girl a flower that really made my day, it was just so cute, I wish somebody had done that for me when I was that age". Ino said with a smile.

"aw that's so cute" they giggled for a while, and her mother saw a glimpse of the girl Ino used to be. She knew all too well what a shinobi life did to a person, she had been a kunoichi herself before marrying Inoichi and having Ino, she had lost teammates to the war just as everyone did. She didn't want that kind of life for her daughter, but she also understood why she choose that kind of life for herself. She also knew what war did to a person, and the behavior Ino demonstrated on the last years was what many shinobi did to try and forget all the guilt and sorrow that a war left behind, some deal with it and move on, some lose themselves in alcohol and sex or other vices, some throw themselves into work and missions. She'd seen it all in her comrades back in the day. And it pained her to see it happening to her baby girl. But such was the life of a ninja.

"Mom I'm going to head out now, tell daddy I love him, bye!" chirped Ino.

"Bye honey, have a great day, see you next week!" waved Ino's mom.

The younger blond just wave lazily in acknowledgment as she walked out of the shop.

It was a nice afternoon for a walk, it was still warm, and families and shops where closing and going home to be with each other. She usually walked to clear her head or think and sometimes to reminiscence on the good old days, back when everything just seam like a game, and their lives weren't at stake and their faces didn't even appear on one single Bingo book, when all she did was boring D-ranks missions with her team, like paint fences, find that stupid cat over and over again, go shopping for an old lady, or when they would eat at the Korean BBQ and leave Asuma-sensei empty handed and sometimes on his knees and bowing to the owner promising to pay back some other day, or when Sakura and her only talked to yell at each other over that stupid Uchiha… God!, she was such a stupid girl back then, sure Sasuke had what all girls that age want, someone who was mysterious and of course a genius. He was a secret, nobody knew him cause he usually didn't talk to anyone, except to answer a question in class, so pursuing him was a challenge, the girl that made Uchiha Sasuke open up would win, and would be the most envied girl on the village. And Ino as a competitive person wouldn't lose to some loser girl, specially forehead girl who broke off their friendship over him.

She'd been a fool, Uchiha Sasuke wasn't worth all that time she wasted pursuing his traitors ass. Besides with what she knew now, the only one who was a mystery and a genius was Uzumaki Naruto. The loud mouthed knucklehead number one most surprising ninja. The one who barely graduated from the academy, Naruto was the boy that should've had all the attentions Sasuke had from the village since he was a baby, he was the one who deserved to had teachers giving him pointers back in the day helping him, like Iruka-sensei had tried to do on their last year, but the damage to his training had been already done, and as an orphan he didn't have anyone to correct the mistakes the teachers did before Iruka-sensei came along. But he could only do so much. He wasn't a god after all, he couldn't get Naruto on the level everyone was at in that short period of time, if the boy didn't also put the effort to learn.

And Naruto was such kind and loyal friend, always trying to help others and give them courage, like Sakura and Hinata on the preliminary matches on the chunnin exams, he even help those that had wronged him in the past, how he didn't hold any hate or grudge for the villagers and some ninja was beyond her, she had heard all the comments people made about him when he walked in front of the shop when they were little.

Sure she had begun to notice him when he helped them avenge their sensei against the two akatsuki members, and then when he defeated pain all by himself, she'd being proud to be his friend, well… kind of friend, cause they hadn't really talked much when they were genin or in the academy, well… they had, but she usually just yelled at him for being annoying, but now that she thought about it, maybe it was because nobody had ever taught him how to behave properly and have some manners and being that way was the only way someone would notice him and probably talk to him.

As she reached the park that was on the outskirt of town below the Hokage craved mountain, she looked up at the stone and the faces of all the fire shadows, but she stayed glued to the fourth, how could have everyone be so blind and not notice that Naruto was the son of the praised hero of the village, the one that saved them from the Kyuubi, on that fatidic 10th of October?. Did they all saw the demon instead of the blond boy?, sure he was a troublemaker and a prankster, but… how couldn't they see the resemblance between the two?, from the pictures on the history books, Namikaze Minato, was an unruly spiked haired blond, with beautiful ocean blue eyes. Maybe it was because of the whiskers on his cheeks, and his outgoing personality, cause the books said the fourth was a genius, even better than Itachi and Kakashi in his prime. Perhaps his personality came from his mom, but… who was his mom anyway? Did Naruto even know who she was?.

A blond mop of hair came to her field of vision as she looked at the carved face of the Yondaime Hokage. _Naruto? _she thought. Great now she didn't had to track down his ass like she'd thought. She lazily begun to walk up the stair path towards the top of the mountain, and also to think how to approach him.

* * *

Tsunade and Naruto had been silent for a while, enjoying each other company, and the sight of the village.

"Well brat I think it's time to return to work" she said a little tipsy.

"Ok baa-chan, say Hi and congrats to Shizune for me" said the blond male.

"Will do… and try to cheer Ino a bit" she said with a knowing smile.

"Ino? What are you talking about baa-chan? Did the sake did something to your head or something? Cause Ino isn't here" confusion written all over his face.

"Don't call me that brat!" she hit his head, "and just do it!, that's an order" she said at last walking away and down the road on very wobbly feet, and lightly swaying from side to side.

"Yeah sure thing baa-chan" he said rubbing his head.

"Stupid hag, beating me for telling the truth, and what does she mean with that? I haven't…" he mumbled until he heard a twig snap behind him. "Hey" he said as he recognize the chakra signature.

"Hey" said the blond beauty approaching him, and sitting beside him, on the same spot the Godaime had been previously. "How are you?".

"I've been better" said a slightly drunk Naruto.

"Haven't we all" Said Ino looking at the village in front.

He turned to look at her, and realized what the hag had said. Ino looked down and sad. The spark of life he'd seen the night before was gone. He knew the death of Sai had done a number on the loud blond, but he hadn't realized that it had left a shell of the former bright and fun-loving blond. She looked broken and that didn't suit well with the blond demon container. He frown.

Sure they weren't the best of friends, but she was still a friend. And he hated to she the people he cared about depressed and specially Ino, it just didn't suit her. And with his mood a little lifted from his conversation with Tsunade he thought that maybe he would help her to be the old Ino again at least for a little while. It wouldn't hurt, and it would probably keep his mind occupied and he would not think of his pink and raven haired tea… EX-teammates.

"Want some?" he said as he held a bottle for her to take.

"Sure, thanks" she smiled at him and took the bottle from his hands. A little shiver run from her fingers to her spine as their hands touched briefly. She almost blushed a very Hinata shade of red. ALMOST. She quickly sipped her drink to try and schooled herself. What was she, twelve?, blushing because she touched a boy? that was pathetic. She was almost twenty for kami's sake!. Besides this was Naruto, sure he'd grown to be quite the looker, and now that he'd ditch the orange on his ninja uniform he'd become one of the sexiest ninja of the village, but she wasn't attracted to him. She had commented to her friends that she found him good looking and all, but that didn't mean that she would fall for someone like him, least of all BLUSH.

After a very awkward silence, well, awkward for Ino at least she tried to talk to him.

"I saw you with the Hokage just a few minutes ago, did she said anything about your Anbu application?, I know how much she cares about you, is she going to approve it?".

"yeah, she knows why I want to do it".

"So, we're probably going to be on the same team, cause we're one member short with Neji going back to jonin and all, we're going to need a close combat ninja". she said as she put her slender and delicate finger on her chin.

"You think so?".

"Yeah, I don't think they'd put you on ten-ten's squad they'd already found a replacement". she said looking at the sky.

"That'll be cool, what kind of missions do you take?" he said looking at her.

"hmm… well we mostly do spy and recognition missions, but once a year we had to do border patrol for a couple of month or a month if we're lucky" She said grinning at the last part.

"Aw, border patrol? That sucks, at least on guard duty you could sleep on your own bed" he whined.

"Yeah it sucks, but some one has to do it, and now with you around, it would be less boring than last year, I believe Neji said like thirty words the entire two months we where there" she laughed, and Naruto smiled too, he realized that he liked to hear her laugh, and now that they would be team, he vow to make her smiled more. And maybe helping her he would be helping himself forget Sakura.

They talked, drunk and joked for hours, it was almost midnight and the stars were shinning on the dark sky when they decided to call it a night and head to their homes. Naruto, being the gentleman he was, made sure that Ino was back in her house safe and sound, she _was_ kind of drunk after all.

To Ino the evening have been one of the best she'd had recently, she felt like she'd never had had this much fun in a while, she hadn't laugh like she did that afternoon in what felt like forever, she would be honestly glad that Naruto would be on her squad, because she thought of that as a fact, Naruto was the perfect one to replace Neji on her team and she couldn't wait for that to happen, she was tired of being in town, she needed action and she needed it now. And some fun on the tedious spying missions didn't come bad either.

To Naruto, it felt like he was beginning to feel whole again, Joking with Ino came naturally for him, she was an easy-going person with a great sense of humor, she was sarcastic and sometimes even ironic, and he loved that. Through out the whole evening he hadn't thought of Sakura and their earlier talk at all, he felt like himself, he didn't find the need to fake a laugh like he did around his friends lately, all his smiles and laughs had been real, and he couldn't say he felt like that with a hand bunch of people.

As they were nearing the apartment building, Naruto made sure that her companion didn't trip or something, as they stood in front of the door, she locked eyes with him.

"Thanks for the company Ino-chan, I had fun".

"You're welcome Naruto, maybe we should do this more often".

"Yeah, we should… so see you around".

"Yeah, see ya'" and she slowly, closed the distance between them and kissed his cheek.

Naruto, who wasn't as drunk as her, blushed a little and scratched the back of his hair, he wasn't used to this side of Ino, sure he knew she was a flirt, but she'd never been that affectionate with him. Sure last time she'd done that too, but he was piss of drunk so, he hadn't processed this fact. But now, he didn't know what to think, so he did what he usually did, he chuckled and didn't rubbed his hair.

Ino blushed and bid him good bye, as she entered his house and closed her door, she slide down. Why did she did that for?, why did she blushed anyway? She wasn't attracted to him, wasn't she?…

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**AN: Finally I finished this chapter, I've been super, mega ultra busy, I've finally finish this semester, and I passed all my classes xD**

**So, I'm happy with all of you, my loyal readers, and all of you who liked this story so far I thank you VERY much, but specially to those who'd review, for those who don't, shame on you!**

**Now to my reviewers**

**To Suave Jiraiya and T00STr00nG I'd like to say that Sakura's a b*tch and all, but I like her to an extent, I don't hate her, and she will be miserable later in the story, so just wait, cause this its just the beginning, Naruto isn't even Anbu yet, so just wait and see, I promise it would be good *insert evil laugh***

**To Holyriot, yeah that happens sometimes, I've done that too so don't sweat it. I'm glad you liked it ^^**

**To MusicNinja1010 yeah I like life house too, and here it is, the first glimpse of the romance.**

**To Ecliptic724, wolf191000 and anonymous reviewer named Nichole, here's your update, I'll try to write more this week promise XP**

**And finally to WindNinjaDW, who review just a couple of hours before this was updated, THANK YOU! It does good to my ego when people think this story is awesome and well written as you put it, cause I sometimes think it kind of sucks cause my first language is Spanish, but I try to do my best, and apparently I'm doing a good job, (all thanks to spelling check of course), and I loved your story too, even if Ino is a little Hinata-ish… it's promising and it a very good concept. So thanks again for the faves and alerts in both author and story, you totally made my day, and because of your review I decided to finish this chapter, so Thanks xD**


	7. Final Test

**I don't own Naruto.

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Chap 7 Final Test.

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"Are you in position?"

"Hai"

"Alright, good luck rookie, I hope you can make it"

"Thanks sens… I mean taichou!"

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It was a dark night, he knew it was a genjutsu to recreate an Anbu mission, but it still gave him the creeps. Sure he'd done assassination missions or he'd been support for one, been there, done that, but now that he knew what was at stake if he fail, it made him a complete nervous wreck.

Sure he'd stood up and fought S-class missing nins since he was twelve, he'd been in worse shit than this stupid test, but now, not only his whole career was at stake, but his own sanity too.

He'd lived with the hate and glares of some part of the villagers, and with the indifference of the rest . He could forgive the civilians, they didn't knew any better, they didn't understand a thing about shinobi arts, and it was only human to fear the unknown.

But now was not the time to think about that. He had a test to pass, and it was the final step to finally join in with the elite. It's been a month of training and tests. And a long month at that. He'd been quizzed and had to endure physical test that would had put Gai's morning regime to shame. Fortunately for him his stealth skills had help him on various of his tasks, Anbu weren't meant to be seen, so all his pranks in his youth had been worth for something other than his own sense of retaliation against those who'd wrong him in the past.

Naruto took a deep breath trying to calm his nerves and do what he was trained to do. He was an Anbu trainee! On his final test non the less. If he approved this exercise. he would get his final mask and tattoo. And finally then he would be free.

Free from team seven, and all the pain it still brings to his heart just the simple thought of the three of them inside a room together. He would certainly snap if he'd had to hear one more time all the puppy eye Sakura did to get what she wanted. Or how Sasuke would hold her on a break. He simply couldn't take it anymore. And one month of intense training had done just the thing to keep the blond teen from going all Gaara on their asses… well, not the Gaara from now, but the Gaara of the chunnin exams, yeah that had been a nice dream, too bad he was too nice to hate anyone, it would have being fun to watch the Uchiha's face. But now was not the time to day dream. He had a test to finish.

And so. With the stealth he'd acquired on his prankster days, the blond boy with a white mask covering his scarred face moved into the house and begun looking for his target.

He had to treat this mission like the Anbu he wanted to be. And because of that he couldn't enter here like his loud usual self. No. no one could know he was there. And of course that meant he couldn't leave a trace to connect the assassination back to Konoha.

He needed to be invisible, like the wind. Fast and silent. Everything needed deadly accuracy at the execution of the task at hand. No mistake was permitted nor allowed. Anbu mission weren't like his regular shinobi missions. Anbu's did what nobody else could. They dealt with Konoha's worst treats. Missing nins and security problems. Regular shinobi's were the visible side of a ninja village. They dealt with clients and supplies. Anbu's saw the worst of the human and ninja world.

The blue eyed blond passed a deserted corridor. Everything seems to be according to the plan he had in his head. Which was very simple.

Get in. Find target. Dispose target. Get the fuck out. All in perfect silence.

So focused was he in finding the stupid door to the targets location, that he didn't realized he had activated a defense seal. Which alerted the guards who were patrolling the perimeter around the house.

Two minutes later the blond aspirant found himself trapped between two guards. He cursed himself for his stupidity.

"Who are you?" one of the tugs asked.

"…" and silence was his answer.

"Who send y…" he didn't get the chance to found out. Because a kunai went through right in between his eyes. With a shocked expression the mercenary slumped on the cold floor in the hallway. Dead.

"What did you d…" the blond teen in one swift movement slit the throat of the second guard. He watch the scene in front of him with cold eyes. He watched as the life extinguished from the second guard.

"_God damn it, I knew I would screw this up. Focus Namikaze, FOCUS!" _the berated himself as he swiftly run across the hallway towards his final destiny. Now he had to be more careful and aware of his surroundings.

A twist to the right… then to the left. He was close. He'd memorized the maze like planner of the house. Two more twists to the right and he would be there.

His heart was pounding. Sure he'd made one little mistake and alerted two guards. But he'd disposed them and killed them efficiently and untraceable. Every ninja used kunai knives unlike jutsu, weapons were the preferred way for Anbu's to work with, that's why all Anbu's need some sort of genjutsu knowledge and all members carry a ninjato with them. Even if some don't really use it.

Jutsus are traceable to the caster by the residual chakra left on the victims body. And is especially easy to recognize who did it if the jutsu used to kill is a rare or unique jutsu like the Rasengan or the Chidori.

Five more minutes passed and Naruto was no were near as calm as he should be.

At the front of the study door. Where the target was located was a guard. But this guard wasn't like the ones he'd encounter so far. No this was a ninja he was sure of it. He had an air of superiority that wasn't present on the two guys he'd killed before.

His blue eyes narrowed as he observed the last obstacle he needed to overcome to finalize this stupid test. He probably was a chunnin or maybe low jonin from what he could tell. If Naruto wanted this mission to succeed he needed to kill this man quickly so he wouldn't alert the rest.

From his surveillance, he'd noted that there were two guards on the roof. Two on the perimeter of the house and probably four more posted on the periphery of the property. And some inside the building. So far he'd killed two, and now they would be three., that left at least six known guards to fight, _if, _and only, _if _they found him.

Naruto thought back to his training with Kakashi. And studied his situation. He knew he wasn't one for plans, he just rushed in and hoped for the best, and sometimes he'd come up with moves and strategies on the fly. He was used to thinking this way. But that wasn't how Anbu thought. And so Naruto thought a plan. It was a very simple plan. Something even a genin could come up to. He would sneak up to him, like the ninja he was and he would kill him in the blink of an eye.

Of course he knew this strategy sucked. Anyone with a little experience in the field would notice it. But he would do it with a twist. Kakashi-sensei style.

Naruto made a cross sign and hoped for the best.

* * *

"You think he can do it?" a man with brown spiky hair and a cat mask spoke quietly

"Yes, I'm confident he'll pull through, he always does" said a silver haired shinobi with a wolf mask " So I heard you're one member short, are you going to get him when he passes?"

"Sempai, you sure are confident, he still needs to finish this first, and we'll see" said the cat masked shinobi.

"Yes, we'll see" both shinobi proceeded to watch the screen to see what would the most unpredictable ninja do.

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A month had passed since she'd last seen him. She knew he was finishing his training. She'd gone through the same when she'd joined. It was hard and exhausting, both mentally and physically. If you weren't ready you'll end up broken and scarred for life. Anbu life wasn't for the faint of heart. You saw and did horrible things. Sure the status was glamorous and you're respected by all the village. But you lost your identity and yourself. Once you're Anbu, you're always Anbu.

She'd just left some guys apartment. She didn't remembered how or who the hell the idiot was. And sincerely she didn't want to know. It was better this way. No strings attached. It was just something she did for company and to feel another human being next to her. To try and feel the emotions that she'd lost over years of war and the lost of many loved ones.

Ino quickly made her way towards her apartment. she hadn't found what she'd been looking for in any of those horny bastards she picked up in bars.

Maybe she didn't deserve it. Love, it has always been elusive to her. First Sasuke, then the death of Asuma-sensei, and then the death of Sai had being the final nail her heart needed to close of to the world to never be seen again.

But since she'd talked to Naruto at the bar and later on the Yondaime's head. She had a funny feeling in her stomach every time she thought of the blond man. He was so different from the jerks she dated. He was funny and he listen to what she had to say. He joked and made her feel alive again. He hadn't laughed in a while now. And it felt great to know she'd been the one to make him feel good again.

Naruto had always been an enigma to the blond haired Yamanaka. The blue eyed blond had always being loud, annoying and the worst of the class. But she had seen the look of depression and rejection after the bunshin practice when they'd being little. She'd laughed with all the others. But after Iruka-sensei left, Naruto looked so down it made her heart squeeze painfully.

She'd seen the hurt look on his face after graduation. She'd listen a little to some old ladies talk about him, but she never could figure why they were so mean to him. Had he pranked them?, if so he deserved it, she had thought on that occasion.

Years later when the truth of his burden was known to the rookie nine, she had felt so very bad, she had felt like scum.

One of their classmates had been suffering all his life.

With no one to lean on.

No one to be there for him.

Not even a friend to talk and joke around.

And her admiration for the blond boy grew exponentially because that showed how strong he really was.

He had a whole village against him, and he prevailed, and made friends after so much struggling. Friend who would give their lives for him in a heart beat. Just like he did for all of them.

But what she was feeling for the blond Uzumaki, now Namikaze, was not something she had ever felt before. It wasn't even comparable to what she felt for the Uchiha traitor once.

It was such a foreign feeling that she didn't know what to call it, maybe…

Could it be?

No, it wasn't possible, she had buried her heart a long time ago!.

How had that blond idiot do this?.

And why had she allowed it to happened?

Ino sighed in frustration as she walked towards her home. This could not have happened to her. It just couldn't be.

Why? Why on earth had she fallen for that idiot!.

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"**Doton: Shinju Zanshu no Jutsu**" he whispered to himself. A hand reached out towards the ankle of the unfortunate victim. A quick tug and the ninja wannabe guarding the door sunk to the floor,

A little breeze on his right cheek was the last thing the guard felt as his life left him and his head rolled on the ground.

Naruto sighed. He really hated killing but he had to leave no witnesses. Even if it was just an illusion.

He quietly opened the door to his target.

There he was sleeping on a large bed. A black silk robe covered his naked body from the chills of the early October nights.

Naruto took a step closer to the bed and gripped his sword.

He would do it quick and clean.

With a splash of blood and a crack from the wood under the bed, from where the sword had went through. The targets life was no more.

With a firm tug the crimson stain sword was back in his sheathe. And the blond Anbu trainee was running stealthily through the maze like mansion to the nearest exit.

Once he found the door to the outside he took off to the trees jumping from branch to branch until they wavered and he found himself in front of a squad of white masked shinobi and a blond pigtailed woman.

"Anbu trainee Namikaze Uzumaki Naruto" a tiger masked ninja said.

And at that Naruto stood straighter than before. He could see the wolf masked Anbu and the cat masked where there, he smiled behind his mask, Kakashi-sensei and Yamato-taichou where there and that made him feel great. He knew Kakashi didn't have favorites on team seven, but that rejection before the third part of that infuriating chunnin exam was a torn in his heart he couldn't forget. He understood Sasuke needed him much more than Naruto, he was fighting Gaara after all. But for kami's sake, he was fighting the fucking Hyuuga prodigy, couldn't he had found someone better to teach him than Ebisu?.

Naruto thanked all the gods that he had find the perv after half an hour of training the water walking in the hot springs in the company of the closet pervert.

But now Kakashi-sensei was here supporting him and that made him immensely happy.

"Hai" the blond masked said.

"I Tora. Anbu captain of the 5th squad of the assassination and infiltration department. welcome you to the **Ansatsu Senjutsu Tokushu Butai**"the black haired captain said. And Naruto put one knee on the ground and bow to the Hokage and the tiger masked man.

"Wear your mask proud shinobi." said tiger as he handed Naruto a red box. He carefully opened it and looked at what was inside with awe.

A single white mask with black marks adorned the red box that was now open in the hands of the blond. He carefully took it in his hands to admire it.

Finally after years of training and hardship, sweat and tears. He was finally one step closer to his dream.

A single tear slid down his scared cheek and blinding smile spread across his face.

Kakashi looked at the blond teen, he'd never in his life had been prouder than he was at this moment. He'd never doubt Naruto. The silver haired man was sure the blond would pull through. But to do his move had been a shock and an ego bust for him.

The sharingan user smile behind his mask "_Naruto, you'll be a great Hokage, and Minato-sensei would be very proud of you"._

Naruto took off the white mask to put the new one on.

Tiger made a few handsigns and murmured the name for the jutsu, he touched the blonds bicep and a black mark appeared.

Tsunade with a smile said "Rise…. Jioo".

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**Jutsu: **_Doton: Shinju Zanshu no Jutsu _Earth Style: Headhunter Jutsu

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**A/N: Ok I know it's kind of been a long time since the last update, but my life has been a little hectic the last couple of months and I probably wont have time to write more so don't get your hopes up for a fast update.**

**As for my other fic well I kind of lost it… so it's taking me a while to remember exactly how the fic continued. But I'll do my best and tried to update it by the end of the month.**

**Anyway. Thanks for the reviews and the faves and the alerts… it makes my ego burst every time I read my mail. And they even are in c2.. You're great.**

**THANKS FOR READING HAVE A NICE DAY!**


	8. The First Move

**Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto.

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**Chapter 8**

**The First Move

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It was dark. He knew they had stopped tracking his every move not so long ago. Which was good for all his plans and his '_partner's _also. It was a nice night to go out, the sky was clear and you could see even the tiniest star up in the sky. No cloud in the vicinity. Which meant good weather, which was nice, not that he would think something was _nice. _Not even to himself. Nice things didn't happened to him.

But that help little to his irritation. His partner was late. Not something he really appreciated.

The scowl present on his pale face made that fact known for everyone to see. Not that there was a soul present in the area to testified of this event. He had made sure of that.

The stoic dark figure resisted the childish urge to tap his foot on the tree branch he was standing. Because that was it, just an urge. He wasn't a child anymore. Not since _that night._

Shinobi's weren't supposed to show emotions. weren't supposed to _feel _emotions.

Least of all… Uchiha's.

With a shift in the wind, Uchiha Sasuke's attention diverted from his irritation onto business.

"You're late" said the cold and even voice of one Uchiha Sasuke.

"Ma, ma, so sorry Sasuke-kun. I was delayed a bit by some patrol, nothing to worry about though" said in an apologetic tone the cloak figure that had arrived and now stood on the same tree branch as the Uchiha.

"Hn" was all the acknowledgment the broody male did.

"_Talkative as always I see…" _thought the other person. "So, Sasuke-kun is finally free and redeemed of all his sin towards Konoha. How did you do it?" the figure asked with just a little of sarcasm lacing his voice. Not that the Uchiha actually gave a damn about it, so for once he let it slide.

"Hn. That's none of your business. How are things going with the plan?". Sasuke really didn't want to talk to this guy, but if he wanted his plan to work, he needed his help. They both knew it.

"Ma Sasuke-kun you wound me. No pleasant small talk, not even a 'Hi Kabuto how are you? I'm glad your still alive and well?" the cloak figure said while gripping the clothes were his heart is in mock hurt.

"Hn" was his response.

Kabuto sighed. He never really understood the younger man. Even in all his years living with the stoic and silent Uchiha in all of Orochimaru's hide outs. But he was a key part in his plans so he never let it get to him nor did he tried to analyze the inner working of the black haired youth mind.

"Well…" Kabuto stated getting back to business " our forced are still low, but with the help of the war many children of the smaller villages and countries are now at our disposal. I'd say in a year tops well be ready to start expanding and complete our first object".

"Good. Now if that's all I'll be going, no need to arouse suspicion" said the onyx eyed male as he started to made his leave.

"So how are things with the pink haired bitch? Got her knock up yet?" asked Kabuto. A grin spreading on his obscure face.

"Don't make me laugh Kabuto. You know she's just a cover and that not only I fuck her just to rubbed it in the Dobe's face, but she's also my access towards what the Hokage is doing. No… I have the perfect girl for restoring my clan. And once I'm done with her, I'll give her to you" a maniac glint lit up on onyx black eyes.

"And who would that be?" now that got the silver haired male's attention. Sasuke? Had his eyes on a girl? A female? Ha! He totally needed to see this.

"Oh, she has a beautiful par of silvery white eyes" the Uchiha said as he turned on his heels ready to jump to the next tree.

_Silvery white? He didn't mean..? _as Kabuto's eyes lit up in recognition a small chuckle escape the cloak figure as the other figure made his way through the forest towards Konoha and his _"home"._

X

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X

He was finally home. After all that gruesome illusion, really, couldn't they have done it a little less realistic?. He could still smell the blood on him.

With high spirits, now that he'd accomplished what he'd set his eyes on. Be one of the elite. He put his kettle on the stove, for a special meal.

rummaging through his kitchen cupboards until he found the especial edition ultra deluxe, with extra noodles cup of ramen he kept for special occasion.

And what better occasion than becoming an ANBU.

After a short shower, just so his mind would stop remembering the feel of blood on his body. It was just a genjutsu damn it!… well, he's never been good at genjutsu to begin with, but this was just not funny.

The blond male put on a pair of navy blue sweatpants and a light blue shirt and his old orange and black jacket. The heater was broken, yet again.

He didn't even want to start thinking about what would be coming next week. He really just hoped his new team had a long mission somewhere in the desert, o maybe wave?.

Yeah that would be nice. He'll get the chance to see Gaara or Inari and his grandfather Tazuna. It would be nice. For once. To spend your birthday with people who actually like you.

Just as he was about to pour the water into the cup, Naruto heard a knock on his door.´

Grumbling about disrespecting the ramen goods by making him wait more than the stupid three minutes it took for the noodles to cook, he opened his door wide to yell and rant at whoever was disturbing his well deserved meal. Only to stopped abruptly and stared.

Clad in black pants and shirt and grey armor and metal arm guards stood a bird masked Anbu.

"Naruto?, are you ok?" asked the blond clad Anbu.

"Huh?" was Naruto's intelligent response.

The Anbu sighed. "Naruto snap out of it!, can I come in?"

As Naruto regained his senses some what. he noticed that the bird masked Anbu has blond hair, and it was tied into a ponytail, and that somehow, that seem vaguely familiar. Did he knew this Anbu?

"Err, sure, come in" he said allowing the door to opened fully.

The blond female. Cause it was definitely a female, (he hadn't spend two years of his life living with a pervert to not notice how well endow this Anbu seem to be in chest area), proceeded to enter his humble home with a grace only a kunoichi had, and made herself at home.

What the hell was wrong with him? Ogling a fellow comrade like some piece if meat?

_ooh but what a fine piece of meat it is _said his inner pervert.

As she pulled the mask upwards, a familiar pair of blue eyes stared back at him with a glint of mischief and a knowing smile.

"Naruto, is that drool ?" she laughed at his open ogling and gaping mouth.

"huh" he said and his as foggy brain caught up with what she was saying, he blush and turn away furiously whipping every drop that may have found his way out of his gaping mouth.

What the hell?

"a ha ha, Ino, what are you doing here?" Naruto asked while scratching the back of his head and failing at looking less guilty about being caught obviously staring at her chest.

"well I came here to congratulate you, and to give you the heads up on our team" she beamed at him.

"our… team…really? We're together? That's awesome!" he grin at her.

"Yeah it is, anyways. Our first duty tomorrow it's going to be patrol around the wall, nothing too exciting. But important nevertheless. So meet me outside my apartment at 6, we'll eat breakfast with the rest of the squad and then head out. Sound good?" she asked, not one trace of the playful aura of just a moment ago in her voice or posture.

"yeah it's cool, I guess".

"Ok so I'll see you!" she got up from his bumpy bed and turn to leave.

"Wait.. Err I was just about to eat dinner, maybe you'd like to join me?" he asked a little flustered and a bit fast, but he really didn't want to celebrate alone.

He was tired of always being alone, and when something good happen to him, he had no one to celebrate it with and be happy for him… Well except the bowl of ramen he had with Iruka after he gave him his headband and became a genin.

"Hm" Ino thought about it a moment but then shrugged and sat back down again.

Naruto grin and went to get another cup of ramen for her.

They spent the rest of the evening laughing and remembering their days of boring d-rank missions and adventures of both teams 7 and 10.

X

* * *

X

It was a beautiful morning.

The soft glow of rising sun over the carved mountain that could be seen from the open door of her private room made the faces sculpted into the earth became alive.

But to one young heiress they looked somber. And something inside begin to send alarm bells go off in her head.

She wasn't a very superstitious girl. But that, coupled with the tiny crack on her cup of morning jasmine tea, made her wary.

Something was going to happen. And it wasn't good at all.

But she didn't dwell on the matter much, and the pale eyed girl began her morning work out after the tasty breakfast. Consisting of a few laps around the compound, a few stretches and sit ups.

Then, began the hardest part, at least for her, anyways. Going through the katas of the gentle fist.

It was something she's being doing since she turned 4. But the pressure of getting it right on the first try always made her nervous. Even more so then she normally was. And specially if her father was watching her, and correcting her on every little detail and mistake she made.

She couldn't do it right on the first try. Or even the second one. It was such a rigid style. Everything needed to flow and connect fluidly and gracefully. It was almost like a dance. A stupid dance she couldn't master no matter how hard she tried.

And her already down confidence dropped more with every emotionlessly comment that passed her fathers lips.

It hurt. It killed her to know, to hear, that your own father saw you as a worthless creature. A failure.

Hell, he even gave her training away to Kurenai-sensei when she wasn't even out of the academy yet.

But now. As the years passed. And she's a successful jonin. She's the pride and joy of the clan. And her many connections to many clan heirs and the Hokage's apprentice made her valuable to the Hyuuga's, she was no longer viewed as a failure.

And it irked her.

To know that everything she'd accomplished on her own, every dropped of sweat and blood she's shed. Every cut and bruise and scars she's collected protecting the village. Everything she's done to get to where she is now is worth nothing, compared to the power her friends will possessed went they became clan heads in the future.

She hated being manipulated.

But what she hated the most was been used.

And that was exactly what one Uzumaki Naruto had done to her.

She's loved the boy since they were kids, she almost dies trying to help him defeat the akatsuki guy that destroyed her village, and what does she get in return?

The stupid boy saying the name of another woman while kissing her senseless.

She should have killed him right there. But her stupid heart was too broken to even think about that. She'd left him without a word. Both knowing it was over. She nearly killed herself because of it. If it weren't for her teammates she would have been long gone by now.

And now, she's finally found a good man who loves her back. Who cherish her, and treats her right.

She was finally happy. Content. Joyful. Fulfilled.

Until one dark haired man approach her as she stopped to have a quick break from her morning routine.

"Hyuuga Hinata. I have a proposition to you. One that would help you get the revenge you deserve" said the deep voice of the dark handsome man.

"And do pray tell. Uchiha Sasuke. Who would I want to get revenge from?" asked a little curious and wary the pale eyed woman.

"Does the name Uzumaki Naruto sound familiar to you? Hyuuga-san" asked the broody male looking directly at the widen eyes of the byakugan heiress.

"What are you planning Uchiha-san?" she narrowed her eyes at him.

"You'll see Hinata. But now, I cant tell you much. Walls have ears you know?" he said quietly into her ear before making a hand-sign and disappear in puff of smoke.

Hinata let out a small gasp.

They were being watched.

And as much as Hinata wanted to take the offer Sasuke left on the table. She would never take it.

The blond shinobi was still a friend, a comrade and a fellow villager. And they fought for the same goal.

To protect the village and everyone in it.

And besides, she couldn't trust Sasuke. He'd betrayed them all when he left after the power the reneged Sanin offered to him. And if he'd betrayed once. Nothing is stopping him from doing it again.

And she preferred not being in the cross fire when that happened.

Contemplating on what to do with the rest of her day. Hinata walked back inside her home for a well deserved break.

X

* * *

X

Dark eyes narrowed.

The Uchiha was up to something. And it wasn't anything good from what he could get from the conversation he had with the dark haired woman on the other side of the wall.

From what he could conclude, out of the short conversation they held, was that Naruto was in danger. And that somehow the Uchiha needed help from someone close to him, someone that had unresolved issues with the blond male.

And Hyuuga Hinata fit perfectly in that description.

With a tired sigh, and a look at the sky the lone shinobi made his way towards his home. He had a lot to think about.

...

..

.

**_AN: cookie to the one who guess who is the one spying on them is!_**

**_Yeah I know it's being like forever. But my muse was out on vacations. But she came back after almost an overdose of Itachi fan fictions._**

**_So this chapter was really short. But I needed it like this. The action is about to start. And Sasuke's made the first move. What the hell would happened next… even I don't know! The muse stole all the plot and is leaving me hanging with my occasional writer blocks. The bitch even laughs! I should probably fire her. Or take away her rum._**

**_Anyway. don't get your panties in a twist. The chap will be awesome I'm sure. And it's gonna have the first real naruxino._**

**_So stay tuned._**

**_Ps. Resolve is going to go down probably today or tomorrow. And I'll update it again when it's finished. I'm sooooooo sorry!_**


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